EASTLAND Kart Club volunteer Murray Michie is a self-confessed petrol-head who four years ago co-founded Eastland Kart Club so kids could get into motorsport.
A mooring team leading hand for Right Track Moorings and forklift driver for Eastland Port, Murray tried for two years to secure land for a track.
Multiple speed humps nearly quashed his karting dream, but then Eastland Port general manager Andrew Gaddum heard about his plight and offered some Eastland Group-leased land for the club to use.
“So the club finally had a home behind the airport,” says Murray, who as well as volunteering dozens of hours to the kart club is also clerk of the course at the Eastland Group Raceway speedway track.
Twelve go karts raced at the first meet but now they have over 100 every second Sunday and the club even managed to entice four-time Bathurst 1000 winner Greg Murphy to last year’s prize giving.
Club committee member Lance Sutherland says Murray is the club’s backbone.
“He’s the vice president, looks after the maintenance and helped build the track,” he says. “He donates so much time and he does it all for the kids.”
Murray’s valuable contribution to motorsport has been recognized during Volunteer Awareness Week this month and highlighted in a special Gisborne Herald Feature.
Image: Kevin Weatherley